Fire Chief confirms arson in fire at ex-MP’s Linden home

The fire that destroyed the home of former PNC parliamentarian Dunstan Barrow last Friday in Linden was the result of arson, says Fire Chief Marlon Gentle.

Speaking to Stabroek News, Gentle said the conclusion was arrived at since the house had no electricity and was unoccupied.

The fire, which occurred around 9:30 pm in Richmond Hill, quickly engulfed Barrow’s two-storey home and a man was seen fleeing the scene.

However, no one was hurt since Barrow and his family resided mainly in George-town.

An eyewitness told Stabroek News that she was the first person to see when the fire started. She said she saw the flames in the top storey of the house and quickly alerted the fire station. She said two fire engines arrived at the scene but eventually one ran out of water.

Another eyewitness said he saw a man running away from the scene when fire started to consume the house and he chased after him. But the man escaped.

When contacted, Barrow and his family declined to comment on the fire, stating that they were trying to come to grips with the situation.